Return of the Forsaken.
Three days had passed since Ray fell unconscious.
Falker, Dan, Eldric, Ben, and Herman had kept watch over him, taking turns through the long nights and days. They built a small shelter — simple and temporary — just enough to shield their king from the wind and sun.
The air was quiet, heavy with both reverence and worry.
It was Falker's turn to stand watch.
Then, Ray's finger twitched.
Falker froze.
Slowly, Ray's hand moved again, and his eyes fluttered open — crimson eyes now dark as the abyss, their depths stretching endlessly like the universe, faintly glowing red as if galaxies swirled within them.
His lips parted, the words escaping in a weak whisper.
"...I am… king?"
Falker's once hopeless eyes now glimmered with light — a reflection of faith reignited. Tears welled up and rolled down his cheeks as he fell to his knees, his voice trembling with emotion.
"...My king…"
Hearing Falker's voice, Ray blinked, regaining his senses.
His vision sharpened — everything appeared more vivid, more alive. His hearing, his breath, his heartbeat — all of it felt heightened beyond human limits. Power surged through him, vast and untamed.
He had countless questions — but before he could speak, Eldric burst in, drawn by the sound of Falker's knees striking the ground.
Seeing his king awake after three long days, Eldric's eyes shone with tears and devotion. He knelt instantly.
"I welcome you — my king!"
The commotion drew others.
Within moments, the once-silent shelter filled with people.
Some wept, others smiled. Children screamed in delight.
"Our king woke up! Our king woke up!"
To them, Ray was no less than a hero — the savior who had given them back their lives.
When the noise settled, Ray slowly raised his hand.
"I am glad…" he said softly. Then, glancing at Falker, he added,
"I have something to discuss with you."
Within moments, everyone left, though their eyes lingered — filled with hope, faith, and renewed purpose.
Ray turned toward his loyal subject, still kneeling.
"Stand."
Falker rose, still trembling, eyes glistening as if beholding a lost god returned to life.
"How long… have I been in that state?" Ray asked, his tone calm and steady.
"Three days," Falker replied softly.
Then he saw Ray's eyes — the crimson now dimmed, blending with something darker beneath. For a moment, he forgot to breathe.
"My king… your eyes…"
Ray frowned slightly, unsure what Falker meant.
Falker hurried to bring a bowl of water.
Through its surface, Ray saw his reflection. Eyes that shimmered with crimson stars — divine yet distant, where darkness and light intertwined.
A quiet realization passed through him.
Ray sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and began to focus inward. His expression was calm, though it twitched for an instant — as if he had discovered something beyond comprehension.
The unknown dark energy stirred within him.
It moved of its own accord, following Ray's will, as if it recognized its master.
It swirled and coiled along his energy veins, alive and responsive.
When Ray gathered it into his palms, an abyssal flame was born — dark as the void, shimmering with violet dust, like stars scattered across a night sky.
He opened his eyes.
The air twisted and shrank, drawn inward as if devoured by the dark, abyssal flame.
Space writhed and trembled — as though reality itself resisted its existence. The flames didn't burn through space; they burned space itself.
Ray's eyes widened slightly.
Falker stood frozen, staring in awe and terror.
He felt as though he had glimpsed something that transcended mortal comprehension.
Ray exhaled and the energy withdrew. The distortion faded, the air returning to stillness, as though the burned fabric of space had slowly mended itself.
He looked at his hands blankly, trying to comprehend what he had just witnessed.
Then he rose to his feet, as if he had suddenly remembered something.
"Let's move to our new home," he said.
"Yes, my lord," Falker replied quietly, his voice trembling yet resolute.
Ray stepped out of the shelter.
The people gathered again, their eyes gleaming with faith and awe.
Those who had once doubted him stepped forward and knelt.
"We doubted you in your absence," one of them cried. "We deserve punishment!"
Ray remained silent for a moment, his gaze distant, his eyes too deep for even sunlight to reach their end.
Then, with a calm voice that resonated through the forest, he spoke —
"An uncertain heart is easy to deceive.
A subject who doubts his king is fated to betray him."
The crowd fell silent. Fear rippled through them like a cold wind.
Ray continued, his tone heavier — divine.
"Those who wish to leave will not be punished.
But they shall be strangers to us forever."
He paused, letting his words sink in.
"Now tell me — who among you will follow me?"
Even as his gaze made them tremble, the people answered without hesitation, as if their fate had already been decided.
"We shall accept your punishment.
We will follow you till our last breath!"
A faint smile tugged at Ray's lips — one of quiet satisfaction.
The people knelt lower, trembling. Their eyes burned with resolve...
yet, death — the inevitable end — can make even gods tremble in fear.
Ray looked at them, and his voice softened, though it still carried divine weight.
"Then hear my decree.
From today — as your punishment — you shall become the workers who lead the construction of our homes."
For a moment, silence reigned.
Then realization struck. Tears began to fall.
They had expected death — or worse.
But instead, their king had granted mercy.
Whispers filled the air, followed by quiet sobs of gratitude.
One by one, his subjects fell to their knees — even the children — and with united voices, they declared:
"From today, we swear loyalty to our king!"
"For you, we shall give our lives!"
"We shall follow you through the path of reckoning and liberation — even if that path burns in hell!"
Then his subjects knelt even lower, their foreheads nearly touching the earth.
Even the children mirrored their parents in silence.
Amidst countless bows of reverence, a single figure stood — the King himself.
Those sincere bows were enough to make even gods envious.
Far away, in the depths of the universe — within a throne of azure lightning that glimmered in the dark — a man sat watching. His eyes, shining with divine blue light, softened into a smile.
"He hasn't changed," the man murmured.
"No matter where he ends up, he becomes the king he truly is."
"Don't you think so, Aura?"
A cloaked female figure stood beside him, her face hidden within the shadows. White mist began to spread as her voice, sharp and regal, cut through the silence.
"We'll find out soon…"
---
End of Chapter 10